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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 5:14 p.m., Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Tadd Fujikawa to play in PGA's Honda Classic next week

Advertiser Staff

Moanalua High School junior Tadd Fujikawa will play in next week's Honda Classic on a sponsor's exemption. The PGA Tour event will be Fujikawa's 11th start since turning pro last year. He is looking to make his first cut.

The $5.5 million tournament is played at PGA National Champion Course in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. It is Thursday to Sunday (Feb. 28 to March 2).

In May, Fujikawa will play in the Japan Golf Tour Organization's Chunichi Crowns for the second straight year. As an amateur last year he missed the cut by two. Hawai'i's David Ishii won the tournament in 1986.

Fujikawa has been nominated for a Johnnie Walker "Keep Walking" Golf Award. The annual program rewards inspiring performances, and works in cooperation with the Asian, European and Australasian tours.

Fujikawa is nominated, along with Ireland's Rory McIlroy, Germany's Martin Kaymer and Argentina's Andres Romero, for Young Player of the Year.

The awards were created more than a decade ago to "recognize great progress achieved on the golf course and to inspire others to pursue their dreams and goals," in the spirit of Johnnie Walker's "Keep Walking" message.

Winners are chosen by a panel of judges from the three tours and will be announced March 1 at the Johnnie Walker Classic in India.

Spain's Alvaro Quiros is the reigning Young Golfer of the Year. Previous winners include Luke Donald (2004), Adam Scott (2003), Justin Rose (2002) and Sergio Garcia (2001).